Professor Rainer Herpers and Dr Nils-Alexander Bury dive for science: Herpers supported the scientist from York University in Canada in carrying out tests for his underwater study. The tests are in conjunction with the ISS Vection study by Prof. Laurence Harris and Prof. Michael Jenkin (York University) and relate to the perception of the body’s own movements.

About to start: Dr. Bury with (yet) a good-humoured test subject

The aim of the study is to recognise the weaknesses of human perception in an atypical environment and transfer these findings to weightlessness. Astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS) will also benefit from the results of the study in the swimming centre at the German University in Cologne for the Canadian Space Agency in the medium term. In short, the scientific findings will help them estimate the weaknesses in human perception and orientation better.

This is an excerpt of an article originally posted by Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS). The full coverage can be found here in German and here in English

Images from the under-water camera

UPDATE: WDR report on this project (15 Aug 2018)

WDR’s (German) article and video footage on the underwater project can be found here (or by clicking on the image below).